4/5 a spirited, very Asian telling of a true story
  by Charles Hugh Smith (Berkeley, CA United States)
Since gay films are in the news (the critical acclaim earned by Brokeback Mountain), it's worth re-visiting another film about gays which touches on the same themes of love and tolerance (or intolerance): Iron Ladies, a 2000 release from Thailand.

Unlike the more serious, if not downright dour Brokeback Mountain, Iron Ladies is a spirited, very Asian telling of a wonderful story: how a group of transvestite gay males came together to form a champion volleyball team in 1996. This isn't just "based on a true story," it is a true story; the actors' even bear an uncanny resemblance to the actual guys and gals (their coach was a gay female) who lived the reality (they're shown in some clips at the end of the film).

Unlike most Western films about gays, this film isn't afraid to have fun, from the ribald gutter language to the over-the-top antics of some of the players. For added frisson, the team captain is a hetero guy who has to come to grips with his own ignorance and intolerance.

The Asian influence is very visible; at several points, a cheesy pop song breaks out for no particular reason, and the action sequences of the guys playing volleyball do not have the realism expected of a Hollywood sports film. Still, all the sports movie cliches are intact, right down to the cliff-hanger final grudge match for the national championship.

(Volleyball, it seems, is the Thai equivalent of basketball in the States, while the ultra-violent Thai kickboxing more or less assumes the role of the NFL--if football included boxing and no-holds-barred kung fu.)

Yet despite the cliches, the film perceptively imparts the swirling interplay of tolerance and intolerance within Thai society for openly gay people. Despite the cliches, we are openly rooting for the team to win, and we hope for each individual's happiness. Especially touching is the husband and wife who openly accept their son as he is, and enthusiastically celebrate his team's success.

As a footnote, it must be said that the one actor who plays a dancer is more beautiful than most women. Having seen similar guys in Thailand myself, I can only say the outward transformation of a Thai male into a female is most remarkable and most convincing.

5/5 A BREAKTHROUGH
  by L. U. Vergara (NYC,NY)
I recently purchased this movie on DVD as a gift to myself and what a good move.
I have been buying a lot of gay films and I would say that a majority of the films tend to be either violent,tragic and unresolved issues with the main characters either being beaten, so much anger with parents and mostly dying.
Iron Ladies delivers a different punch and it was very refreshing, the laughters I had the whole time I was viewing it made all the worries and exhaustion of the day all melt away, it showed me the humanity and kinship we human beings are capable off and how we should just tolerate each other and just accept one another for what we are God's children and have LOTS of fun in our lives and loves and no matter who we are,transvestite,transgendered,queen or straight we can all get along and find love too along the way. This is what the movie has taught me.
the characters, especially Jung and Pia, taught me to be true to who I am and even in adversity face it with courage and lots of make-up foundation, that we do not need to conform to be happy and that love and friendship do conquer all.
I was amazed that a movie with this topic could be made by an Asian Director and I guess after watching the film other societies are more open in their acceptance of people's sexual orientation that we Americans have and that we might think Gay Revolution has move forward here I guess it has accelarated in others.
Bravo to the film makers by showing a different view and perspective on Gay Life and this will be viewed and shared to friends and I will personally keep as a precious Gem,thank you Amazon for including such a wide range of Gay Films.


3/5 Has its shortcomings, but a nice story
  by Andy Orrock (Dallas, TX)
"Iron Ladies" - as others on these pages have well noted - has its shortcomings: the acting is far from top quality (the 'Coach Bee' character, notably, doesn't act so much as read lines); the sports sequences - for those of us now used to 'Seabiscuit,' 'Ali' or even 'Shaolin Soccer' quality material - is laughably amateurish; the script is trite; the film editing herky-jerky, etc., etc. And, no one is going to rush out and buy this soundtrack, for sure.

All well noted. But what "Iron Ladies" *does* have going for it is a good deal of heart and earnestness in telling what is, amazingly enough, a true story. Indeed, what seals the deal here in terms of having to check 'Ladies' out are the closing credits where - suddenly - we're shown newsreel clips of the 'Real Iron Ladies' squad and we suddenly realize:

a) It's all true (the essential elements of the story, at least).

b) There's a fairly jaw-dropping resemblance between these 'real' folks and their movie stand-ins (and it turns out Coach Bee may not have been such a bad actress after all, as a picture of the real Coach Bee elicted an 'Oh, My God!' from me and my wife).

c) No lie: this group could really play top-notch volleyball (evident in the clips).

2/5 Laughable
  by Po (Edison, NJ United States)
Horrific acting (oh, the coach is the absolute worst). Horrendously amateurish movie-making. Dreadful action sequences (hello, they're supposed to know how to play the game....). Lame dialogue that gets overly preachy at parts. If it had been done like a Baz Luhrman or John Waters film with that panache of being purposefully bad, it would have worked, but I get the sense it was actually taking itself seriously. *urp!*

5/5 Absolutely Fabulous
  by
This film is hilarious, sweet, and at the same time touches on the discrimination transgendered folks face. LOVE IT!!